


You Can't Always Get What You Want

by blue_morning



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Castiel (Supernatural) Wants a Cat, Dean really doesn't, Ficlet, Fluff, Goldfish are good pets right?, M/M, Pet Store
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-07-02 08:30:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15792843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blue_morning/pseuds/blue_morning
Summary: The Siamese cat stares at Dean from the cupboard that holds the coffee cups in the bunker’s kitchen, its blue eyes coldly calculating in its triangular face. Dean starts at its unexpected appearance, and then sighs and pulls the photo down from where it’s propped up amongst the mugs.





	You Can't Always Get What You Want

**Author's Note:**

  * For [zaphodsgirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zaphodsgirl/gifts).



> A big thank you to Zaphodsgirl, who kindly donated to Team TrashBrigade’s gisholarship fundraiser. She asked for Dean and Cas buying a goldfish at the pet store. :)
> 
> Also thanks to Nickelmd for beta'ing.
> 
> Title from the Rolling Stones (I think it was a sign, Nicky)

The Siamese cat stares at Dean from the cupboard that holds the coffee cups in the bunker’s kitchen, its blue eyes coldly calculating in its triangular face. Dean starts at its unexpected appearance, and then sighs and pulls the photo down from where it’s propped up amongst the mugs.

“What the fuck, Cas,” he says to himself as he drops the photo on the kitchen counter on the top of the small pile that contains photos of a Russian Blue (medicine cabinet), Maine Coon (armory, right beside the salt rounds), Burmese (leaning against the salt and pepper shakers on the table), Scottish Fold (taped to the last beer in the fridge), and Persian (its smushed face startling Dean when he opened his laptop to find it on the keyboard.) How many Cat Fancy magazines have given their lives so that Cas can drop unsubtle hints that he wants a cat?

They’re not getting a fucking cat. No way. If Sam can see the light that their lifestyle is incompatible with owning a dog, then Cas can damn well come to the realization that a cat is out of the question too. Besides, Dean is allergic — like weeping eyes, congested nose, large itchy hives allergic — to cats. And his sympathy for a powered-down angel looking for something to love does not stretch as far as doping himself up with Claritin on the daily. Cas can sadly play all the cat collector games on his phone that he wants, it’s the closest he’s getting to a real cat. And no amount of dramatic sighing when they’re getting ready for bed, or idle chat about how sleeping while listening to a cat purring is good for your blood pressure is going to change Dean’s mind. 

But Dean’s not a monster. If Cas really wants a pet to lavish some attention on, then Dean can help him out. After all, he loves the guy. What Cas needs is a goldfish. A nice, quiet, non-furry, danderless goldfish. Yep, that’s the ticket.

So the next day sees him throwing Cas in the car and heading to the PetSmart in Topeka. It’s a nice spring day for a drive and Dean’s not telling Cas where they’re headed. Partly because Dean likes to surprise Cas with things he thinks Cas is going to like, and partly to stave off the three-day research project he knows Cas will make out of fish ownership.

“Why are we here, Dean?” Cas asks as Dean parks the Impala in the pet store lot.

“It’s not like I haven’t noticed all the cat pictures, Cas.”

“We’re here to get a cat?” Cas’s voice is eight kinds of hopeful.

“No, no, no. We’ve had that conversation. I was thinking maybe a fish. A goldfish, or one of those fancy ones with the tails and fins that don’t get along with each other.”

“Those are called bettas, Dean.” Cas is grumpy now. “I don’t want a fish. I want a pet I can play with.”

“You can play with a goldfish, Cas,” Dean says, thumbing at his phone, “Look.”

Cas leans over to look at the proffered phone.  
___________________________________  
So, if you want to help your fish exercise and escape boredom, here are 6 ways to play with your goldfish:

1\. Place a ping pong ball in the aquarium.  
2\. Introduce floating decorations.  
3\. Draw on the fish tank with dry erase markers.  
4\. Stick Post-its or other pieces of paper on the tank.  
5\. Place new items outside the tank for your fish to investigate.  
6\. Train your goldfish to swim through hoops!  
_________________________________

The look Cas gives Dean is one that was last seen by Raphael through a wall of holy oil flames. Dean has the grace to look a little ashamed. Cas sighs heavily and gets out of the car. “Let’s get this over with.”

Dean follows him into the store and past the shelves of pet food and litter boxes. The animals and fish are at the back of the store. Six cages have cats in them, signs on the doors saying that they’re from the local SPCA and are available for adoption. Cas bee-lines for a small brown tabby with a cream-coloured belly. The tag on the cage says “Meredith. One-year-old domestic short hair. Meredith is very playful and loves to be cuddled.” Cas is obviously smitten. He pushes a tentative finger between the bars of the cage, and Meredith licks it delicately with her tiny pink tongue.

Dean quickly steers him away from the cats and into the fish and reptile area. Cas goes over and looks at the fish in the tanks while Dean is distracted momentarily by a chameleon, its eyes swivelling independently as it looks back at him. He picks up a goldfish bowl and a small bag of gravel and spends a few minutes weighing the merits of a skull vs a replica of Squidward’s house for decoration. He goes with the skull. Old school. Cas looks over at him.

“What are you doing, Dean?”

“Picking out a bowl?” It’s pretty obvious from where Dean’s standing.

“Oh no,” Cas says. “I’m not putting a fish in anything that small. It’s not fair. A fish needs room to swim. We need an aquarium -- at least ten gallons. And a filter. And more gravel than that. And some plants for it to hide in. And food.”

“Cas...” Dean had not really anticipated this (come to the pet store, they said, pick out a goldfish, they said, it’ll be easy, they said), but he should have. Cas is never one to do things half-assed. Rebelling against heaven. Choosing Dean (and Sam and Mary). Mentoring Jack. When Cas is in, he’s all in. Every damn time. It’s one of the reasons Dean loves him.

Dean catches Cas looking over at Meredith’s cage again, but he turns resolutely back to the wall of fish tanks, looking at one that has fancy goldfish, the kind with the googly eyes and fan-shaped tails.

“Can you catch that one?” Cas asks the gangly kid in the blue smock with the fish net, “The one that’s mostly gold with the white on its back?” His voice is flat. Resigned, almost. It breaks Dean’s heart. He wants Cas to be happy. Really he does. Dean sighs and starts gathering up the supplies they’re going to need. Aquarium. Filter. Fish food. And a few other things. He tells Cas he’ll meet him at the cash and then crosses the store to have a quick word with one of the other employees. 

Cas shows up a few minutes later, carrying the fancy goldfish in a plastic bag. When he sees Dean standing at the checkout with everything he’s just purchased, he smiles that smile that gets Dean every time. "Oh, Dean." he says. 

Dean puts the aquarium and the bags, including the one with the fish, into the shopping cart, and they head out to the car. Cas carries a box in both arms. Very carefully.

“Thank you, Dean,” says Cas.

“Don’t mention it,” says Dean.

“Mrow,” says Meredith.


End file.
